EDWARD GOREY."It was a happy visit." Pen and ink on onionskin. 63x102 mm; 2 1/2x4 inches on slightly larger sheet. Signed "E Gorey" in left image. Corner mounted to board and framed to 7x7 1/2 inches. Provenance: Gotham Book Mart to present owner.

Estimate $600 - 900

A sweet, early illustration likely created during his tenure at Doubleday, Anchor in the mid-1950s. It was at Doubleday that Gorey struggled with type and developed his characteristic calligraphic style for the numerous book jackets he designed for them. That early experimentation is evident in the lettering here.